364 WHITE 



they have caught, and the aureliae of smaller ants, which they 

 seize by violence. WHITE. 



In my "Naturalist's Calendar" for the year 1777, on Sep- 

 tember 6th, I find the following note to the article Flying Ants. 



I saw a prodigious swarm of these ants flying about the top 

 of some tall elm-trees (close by my house) ; some were continu- 

 ally dropping to the ground, as if from the trees, and others 

 rising up from the ground; many of them were joined together 

 in copulation ; and I imagine their life is but short, for as soon 

 as produced from the egg by the heat of the sun, they propa- 

 gate their species, and soon after perish. They were black, 

 somewhat like the small black ant, and had four wings. I saw 

 also, at another place, a large sort, which were yellowish. On 

 the 8th September, 1785, I again observed the same circum- 

 stance of a vast number of these insects flying near the tops 

 of the elms and dropping to the ground. 



On the 2nd March, 1777, I saw great numbers of ants come 

 out of the ground. MARKWICK. 



GLOWWORMS. By observing two glowworms which were 

 brought from the field to the bank in the garden, it appeared 

 to us that these little creatures put out their lamps between 

 eleven and twelve, and shine no more for the rest of the 

 night. 



Little glowworms, attracted by the light of the candles, 

 come into the parlor. WHITE. 



EARTHWORMS. Earthworms make their casts most in 

 mild weather, about March and April ; they do not lie torpid 

 in winter, but come forth when there is no frost ; they travel 

 about in rainy nights, as appears from their sinuous tracks on 

 the soft muddy soil, perhaps in search of food. 



When earthworms lie out a-nights on the turf, though they 

 extend their bodies a great way, they do not leave their holes, 

 but keep the ends of their tails fixed therein, so that on the 

 least alarm they can retire with precipitation under the earth. 

 Whatever food falls within their reach when thus extended, 

 they seem to be content with, such as blades of grass, straws, 

 fallen leaves, the ends of which they often draw into their 



